A Misunderstanding Removed - Ahmadis Do Believe in the Holy Prophet
(saw) As Khataman Nabiyeen

It is alleged that Ahmadies do not believe in the Holy Prophet Muhammadsaw
to be Khataman Nabiyyeen. This is based on a gross misrepresentation
of the Ahmadiyya views and I would like to present the following to remove
this misunderstanding.

At the very outset I would like to state categorically that Ahmadies
believe the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon
him) to be Khataman Nabiyyeen - Seal of the Prophets, as has
been stated in the Holy Quran and it is an awful fabrication against the
Ahmadies that they do not believe in the doctrine of Khatm-i-Nabuwwat.
The difference is only in interpretation of the title and not in the title
itself.

The Promised Messiah and Mahdi, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement
in Islam (peace be upon him) says:

"I swear by the glory of God and His Majesty that I am of the
faithful, a Muslim and I believe in Allah, the High, in His Books, and
in His Messengers and in His Angels and in Life after death. And I believe
that our Prophet Muhammad the Elect of God (peace of Allah be on him and
His blessings) is the most eminent of the prophets and the Seal of Apostles."
(Hamamatul Bushra, page 6)

He again says:

"The charge made against me and my Community that we do not
believe the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and His blessings) to
be the Seal of Prophets is a big falsehood. The faith, the conviction,
certitude and the utterness that characterize our belief in the Holy Prophet
as the Seal of Prophets, are markedly absent in the belief of these people
(those who level this charge at us)." (Al-Hakam, March 19,
1905)

Many Muslims believe that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings
of God be on him) is the last prophet and that no prophet can come after
him. I shall first state and examine the arguments that are given in support
of this belief, then show that this is true only in a certain sense.

The Holy Quran says: "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men,
but he is the Apostle of Allah and Khataman Nabiyyeen--The Seal of the
Prophets." (33:41)

The real meaning of Khatam is a seal (see Tajul Aroos,
Lisanul Arab, and Qamoos), and the phrase should
be interpreted in the light of this meaning. Ibn Khaldun says it is wrong
to interpret the word Khatam in this verse to mean the last or
the end (see Muqaddama Vol. II, p. 54, Paris). He holds that
the word Khatam denotes the consummation and completion of a
thing, which he further explains by the words, authenticity, perfection
and validity. When a seal is put to a letter it becomes authentic and
complete. The seal may be put in the end or in the beginning. According
to him, therefore, Khataman Nabiyyeen would mean the truest and
the most perfect of prophets and not the last in point of time. It refers
to his status and place among the prophets and not to the time of his
advent.

USE OF THE WORD KHATAM:

In one of his sayings the Holy ProphetSAW calls his uncle,
Hadhrat Abbasra, Khatamul Muhajireen (see
Kanzul Ommal, Vol. VI, p. 178). But it does not mean that
Abbas was the last Muhajir (refugee) of the whole Muslim world.

Similarly, Hadhrat Alira is called Khatamul Auliya
(see Tafsir Safi under the Quranic verse 33:41). Ibn Khaldun
says this phrase is understood to mean that Ali was a perfect saint and
not the last (see Muqaddama, Vol. II pp. 165-167).

An Arab poet, Hasan bin Wahab, called Abu Tamam (the compiler of Himasa)
Khatamush-Shu'ara (see Wafiyatul A'ayan Li Ibn
Khallikan, Vol. I, p. 123, Cairo). Obviously Abu Tamam was not
the last poet. The word Khatam, therefore, used in such phrases
means the best and not the last.

The context of a verse is a most important factor in determining its
true meaning. If we look into the context of the words we are further
assured of the same meaning.

The verse runs as follows: "Muhammad is not the father of any of your
men, but he is the Messenger of God and Khataman Nabiyyeen."
God is obviously refuting an objection, viz., Muhammad (peace and blessings
of God be on him) has no male issue. Elsewhere we read in the Quran: "Surely
it is thy enemy and not thou who shall be childless and without posterity."
(108:4)

These words are said to have been revealed when Al-Aas Ibn Wayel called
the Holy ProphetSAWAbtar (having no children or posterity)
on the death of his son Al-Qasim (see Jalaluddin's Commentary
under verse 108:4). As an answer to this taunt of the enemies, God declared
in the verse under discussion that the line of his physical male descendants
is no doubt cut off by the death of his sons but as Hadhrat Muhammad (peace
and blessings of God be on him) is a Messenger of God, he possesses devoted
followers who shall form a continuous and long line of spiritual descendants
to keep his memory and name and teachings alive for ever and ever.

The followers of a prophet are often described as his spiritual children.
The meaning of the word Khataman Nabiyyeen must fit with this
context. To say that Hadhrat Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be on
him) is the last of the prophets and there shall be no prophet after him
does no credit to him. His enemies could at once add an insult by saying
that Hadhrat Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be on be him) failed
to produce a progeny in the spiritual sense of the word also and thus
proved himself (God forbid) barren and abtar in every respect.
According to the context, therefore, the Seal of the Prophets must mean
that the spiritual descendants of Hadhrat Muhammad (peace and blessings
of God be on be him) would be of no mean order. They would, God says,
attain to great spiritual distinctions so must so that by following in
his footsteps some of them would even become prophets.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be on be him)
is called here the Lord Privy Seal or the Lord Keeper of the great Divine
Seal of Prophethood, which not only ratifies and authenticates the office
of the previous prophets but also awards the distinctive mark of prophethood
to those who make themselves worthy of it. (Haqeeqatul Wahy
by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, p. 56) We read in the Bible: "The Lord will
make thee the head and not the tail; thou shalt be above only and thou
not be beneath." (Deuteronomy 28:13)

To be the tail of a line, therefore, is no credit or distinction. Even
if we take the phrase Khataman Nabiyyeen to mean the last of
the prophets; we must interpret it as meaning that he is the last in the
sense that he has attained a degree of perfection beyond which it is impossible
for anyone to go. He has exhausted all the degrees of perfection and none
can ever excel or supersede him. He is the Head of the prophets and not
the tail.

NO NEW CODE:

He is the greatest not because he appeared last of all but because he
has brought a law which is absolutely final and can never be replaced
or excelled. Ibn Khaldun also mentions this meaning in his Muqaddama
(Vol. II, p. 165, Paris). Ali Bin Muhammad Sultan Al-Qari (Mulla Ali Qari)
interprets this phrase in the same sense. He says that it means that there
will not come a prophet after Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be
on be him) who could cancel his law and who is not a follower of his (Mauzooat
Kabeer, p.69).

Sheikh Mohyud Din Ibn Arabi says that the prophethood which brings law
is finished with the advent of Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be
on be him. (Fosoosul Hikam, p. 140)

Shah Waliullah Muhaddas of Delhi writes that Muhammad (peace and blessings
of God be on be him) was the last of the prophets in the sense that there
will appear no one after him to promulgate a new law for the people. (Tafheemate
Ilahiya, 53)

Syed Abdul Kadir Jeelani says: "The prophetic law is finished and completed
with the Holy Prophet and he was called Khataman Nabiyyeen. (Al-Insanul
Kamil, Ch. 36)

Maulana Abdul Haye of Lukhnow says: "It is not impossible that a new
prophet may appear during or after the age of Muhammad but bringing of
a new code of religion is an absolute impossibility." (Dafi-ul-Wasawis
fee asr ibn Abbas, p. 12)

THE TRADITIONS:

I shall now deal with Hadith (Traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings of God be on him) on this subject. The Holy ProphetSAW
said to Ali Ibn Abi Talibra:

"You are to me as Aaron was to Moses, except that *Laa Nabiyya
Ba'adi".
(Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Mishkat)

The last words are translated as: there is no prophet after me.
On the basis of these words it is contended that if it were really possible
for anyone to become a prophet, no one could have been more deserving than
Hadhrat Alira, who was not only a near relation of but succeeded
the Holy ProphetSAW as the 4th Khalifa. The words were uttered
when the Holy ProphetSAW was going to Tabook and appointed Hadhrat
Alira as the Ameer at Medina after him. Hadhrat Alira
was desirous of participating in the battle and did not wish to stay behind.
The Holy ProphetSAW, therefore, reminded Hadhrat Alira
of the importance of his work by referring to Hadhrat Aaronas
who was appointed Ameer of the Israelites when Mosesas went to
Mount Sinai. Hadhrat Aaronas was the brother of Hadhrat Mosesas
and a prophet of God. Hadhrat Alira was a cousin but not a prophet.
The Holy ProphetSAW could not be blunt but he must not be misunderstood
in such matters. Therefore, he added that he was not leaving a prophet behind
him. The word Ba'ad means behind. (see Lane's Lexicon
Book I, p. 225)

The context shows that the idea was to tell Alira that he
was being left behind like Hadhrat Aaronas but he was not a
prophet. The words cannot refer to any remote future. They were used and
meant for that particular occasion. The word Ba'ad is often used
in this sense. In verse 7:149 of the Quran this word is translated by
Pickhall as `after I had left you'. The word Ba'ad is
also used in the sense of Ma'a, i.e., with. (Lane's Lexicon
Book I, p. 225) In this sense the sentence La Nabiyya Ba'adee
would mean that there was no prophet with him.

It is curious to note that in the Shia traditions the words used are
Laisa Ma'ee Nabiyyun, i.e., there is no prophet with me (Amalee).
In other traditions the words reported are quite clear. The Holy ProphetSAW
added "except that thou art not a prophet". (Tabaqati Kabeer,
Vol. V., p. 15) There is another tradition which is very clear: "Dost
thou not desire to be what Aaron was to Moses except that thou art not
a prophet". (Biharul Anwar, Kitabul Manaqib, Vol. 9, Iran)
Taking the word Ba'ad to mean after, we can interpret the sentence
in another way. If we go into the idiom of language we find that the words
are not to be taken in their literal sense. There is another tradition
where the Holy ProphetSAW says: "When Chosroe dies there will
be no Chosroe after him, and when Kaiser dies there will be no Kaiser
after him." (Bukhari, Vol. IV, p. 91, Egypt) This is explained in Faithful
Bari, Vol. VI as follows: "No Chosroe will administer the affairs
of State as well as this Chosroe has done." Obviously it cannot mean that
there will be no king after the Chosroe or Kaiser.

Muhyuddin Ibn Arabi interprets La Nabiyya Ba'adi by saying
that there shall be no prophet who will cancel or go against the Islamic
law of Hadhrat Muhammad SAW. (Fotoohati Makkiya
Vol. I, p. 569; Vol. II, pp. 3, 64, 417)

Hazrat Ayeshara, whose position is well known, says: "Say
he is the Seal of the Prophets but do not say that there is no prophet
after him". (Takmala Majmaul Bihar, p. 88) Imam Soyooti writes
that Mogheera also expressed the same opinion. (Durri Mansoor)
The other Hadith brought forward is:

Lau Kaana Ba'adi Nabiyyeen Lakaana Umaro.

"If there were a prophet after me, it would have been Umar."

The word Ba'ad as stated earlier also means `with', and there
is nothing here which should confine its meaning to `after'. Therefore,
the tradition should be translated as: "If there were a prophet with me
it would have been Umar." In another tradition, the Holy ProphetSAW
says: "If I were not raised it would have been you, O Umar." (Mirqat,
Vol. V, p. 539) Another saying is: "If I was not raised, Umar would have
been raised among you." (, p. 103) These traditions
would only show that Umarra had an aptitude for a prophet,
like Hadhrat Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be on him) who brought
the Islamic law. Therefore, the Hadith in question would mean that if
a prophet were to bring a new law, it could have been Umarra.
It cannot mean that there can be no prophet after Hadhrat Muhammad (peace
and blessings of God be on him). In another tradition, the Holy ProphetSAW
clearly implies the opposite. He says: "If Ibrahim (his son) had lived,
he would have been a Prophet." (Ibn Maja, Vol. I, p. 237)

He could not say this if it were absolutely impossible for anyone
to become a prophet. This shows clearly that the Holy Prophet was clear
in mind as to the continuity of prophethood after him. Another tradition
points to the same effect when he says: "Abu Bakr is best of men after
me except a prophet should appear." (Kanzul Ummal)

The next Hadith that is brought forward is: "I am Aqib and he is one
after whom there is no prophet." (Tirmidhi) The authenticity of this
Hadith is very much questioned. Mulla Ali Qari, who is a recognized
critic of Hadith, definitely declares that the last portion of this
Hadith is spurious. He says it appears to be the interpretation put
upon the word Aqib by some reporter. (Mirqat, Vol. V, p.
367)

The next Hadith in support of this belief is: "I am the last of the
Prophets and you are the last of peoples." (Muslim) The meaning of this
is explained by another Hadith which runs as follows: "and my mosque
is the last mosque." (Muslim, Kitabul Haj Fazlis Salat,
p. 531) It is clear that the Holy Prophet did not mean that there was
to be no prophet after him, otherwise we shall have to conclude that
he did not want the Muslims to build any other mosques. Obviously, what
he means is that the religion brought by him is perfect and no one can
cancel or modify it after him.

The use of the word Akhir (last) in this sense is quite common
in the Arabic language. Imam Soyooti calls Ibn Taimiyya as the last
of Mujtahideen (original thinkers and Jurists). (Al-Intibah Wan
Nazir, Vol. III, p. 310, Hyderbad) An Arab poet uses the word
Akhir (last) in the sense of perfect and unique, in Himasa,
Babul Adab.

It is clear from the foregoing that it is not Ahmadies alone who are
interpreting the expression Khataman Nabiyyeen (Seal of Prophets)
in a manner allowing the appearance of a prophet after the Holy ProphetSAW,
who does not bring any new Shariah (Law) and does not attain prophethood
independently but through complete obedience to the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings of God be on him). Even recognized Muslim saints
of different countries, ages, and clines, and even the Holy Prophet
himself, have understood the expression in the like manner.

The Ahmadiyya belief, beyond any shadow of doubt, is par excellence
that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be on him)
is Khataman Nabiyyeen, i.e., the Seal of the Prophets. In him
the excellences of prophethood have reached their perfection and therefore,
the door to receiving prophethood independently is closed since his
appointment to this office. Henceforth, every kind of Grace is attainable
only through serving him.

His advent, thus has not closed the stream of Divine Grace but its
course has been channelized through his person which is now, so to say,
the new Headwork. A prophet, henceforth, shall appear only through allegiance
to him, by receiving light from his light and as his shadow and reflection,
and not otherwise. Hence, "all prophethood except Muhammadan prophethood
has ended. No law-giving prophet shall ever come, and a prophet without
law may, but only such as is primarily a follower of the Holy Prophet
(Allah bless him). I am both a follower and a Prophet." (Tajalliyate
Ilahiyya by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, pp. 24-25)